about the authors . . . chris haluorson is a sophomore english major from coon rapids. Iaurie halvorson is currently taking time off from school and living in minneapolis. wall johnson lives in minneapolis and is finishing his sophomore year of a biology degree. paul kilgore is from mora,... Show moreabout the authors . . . chris haluorson is a sophomore english major from coon rapids. Iaurie halvorson is currently taking time off from school and living in minneapolis. wall johnson lives in minneapolis and is finishing his sophomore year of a biology degree. paul kilgore is from mora, minnesota, and is ajunior majoring in english and history. marie mccoll is an english/communications major from minneapolis. miriam mestoura, a sophomore majoring in english/secondary education. is from ain leuh. a small town in north central morocco. john mitchell teaches in the english department at augsburg college. him morlzen is a sophomore majoring in english/elementary education from spring grove, minnesota. m.h. mourning is a sophomore from prior lake. minnesota‘ richard nelson teaches in the history department at augsburg college. john popham is a senior english major from cambridge. minnesota. paula shelley, a sophomore from minneapolis, is working on degrees in art/ english/educalion. theresa storm is a senior from burnsville. minnesota. majoring in english/ communications. hathy ueldey is a senior elementary education major from tornah, wisconsin. kathy yakal, a senior from normal, illinois, is majoring in english. Murphy Square Page 31 Show less
Whirlpools The water is to me as compelling as a man, teasing you with its tranquillity, its gentleness, tempting you to open and allow it to enter you, smother you, and then forget you. And the water as with the man is indifferent to your tears. —laurie halvorson Surprise Grinding with gusto... Show moreWhirlpools The water is to me as compelling as a man, teasing you with its tranquillity, its gentleness, tempting you to open and allow it to enter you, smother you, and then forget you. And the water as with the man is indifferent to your tears. —laurie halvorson Surprise Grinding with gusto their pig-pink toes, It gnaws at the peachy flawlessness of innocent babes, Leaving only brittle bones of chalk. Then, swishing a spiny, spiked tail It strikes, swinging lead-filled rump to maim, And twists a muscular neck to see. Chubby, freckled cheeks smile and leer At the lifeless carcass, crumbling into dust. —kathy yakal Page 28 Murphy Square Show less
Alone One small daisy In a field alone Showing its head Where the grain ’5 been sown. Bravely lifting Its head to the light Swaying in the wind From the left to the right. I can’t figure out And I don 't think it’s fair That that lone little daisy Is the only one there. l§ —miriam mestoura ’~'1\f... Show moreAlone One small daisy In a field alone Showing its head Where the grain ’5 been sown. Bravely lifting Its head to the light Swaying in the wind From the left to the right. I can’t figure out And I don 't think it’s fair That that lone little daisy Is the only one there. l§ —miriam mestoura ’~'1\f’ _ x '2 4%: @¢5 b— “NW/Cy ’\ ‘ \ f1 ” J,/ 4 ! WW WWW A ’3 727K SCOT Murphy Square Page 27 Show less
Junkyard Grandpa owned a junkyard so I was popular. Skinny legged friends followed me like ducklings after their mother through a high ceilinged greasy garage laughing at the norwegian mechanic who always yelled from under a car hi boys (we were girls). Irregular rows of rusting cars burned our... Show moreJunkyard Grandpa owned a junkyard so I was popular. Skinny legged friends followed me like ducklings after their mother through a high ceilinged greasy garage laughing at the norwegian mechanic who always yelled from under a car hi boys (we were girls). Irregular rows of rusting cars burned our feet on sunny days. We played pilgrims under a wormy apple tree next to an old pick-up truck whose windshield was cracked in a million pieces, using its door handles for spoons and hubcaps for dishes. We dared each other to climb into cars we heard people had died in, looking for dried blood or forgotten bodies and when we found a woman’s silk scarf or a child's dirty mitten, we ran screaming out of the junkyard like hungry monkeys and on small town summer nights played moonlight starlight, running from ghosts who wore dirty mittens. —kim mar/zen Page 26 Murphy Square Show less
Madman At The Window-sill Look the rising of the moon that raving babbles its light— to strike the silence of the dark to kindle facets in the ice red and blue to prick my mind and splinter in my eyes— Look the raging of the stars against the steel and stone— They sing with keaning voices to snap... Show moreMadman At The Window-sill Look the rising of the moon that raving babbles its light— to strike the silence of the dark to kindle facets in the ice red and blue to prick my mind and splinter in my eyes— Look the raging of the stars against the steel and stone— They sing with keaning voices to snap the brittle air and burn a brightly savage joy that bends to pierce my head. — john popham Murphy Square Opening Up Parched— a drought stricken River basin with crusty. scummed Bottom whose cracked, peeling Banks Struggle to form precious Sounds and squeeze out the Words I ache to say Hiding Deep inside the cavern —theresa sturm Page 25 Show less
No More Overnight Cigarette Breath After tight highschool kisses In separate bucket seats Of your once new car (over the stick shift) You accepted a friendly venture For grapefruit juice in the morning And a nostalgic visit in between (it had been six years) Naked—from the knees down We soaked... Show moreNo More Overnight Cigarette Breath After tight highschool kisses In separate bucket seats Of your once new car (over the stick shift) You accepted a friendly venture For grapefruit juice in the morning And a nostalgic visit in between (it had been six years) Naked—from the knees down We soaked our feet in the bath-tub Half filled with dishsoap water (I was out of bubble-bath) We played all night Like giggling girls At a slumber party (but we didn’t whisper) In the morning I apologized For messy hair and Overnight cigarette breath (I brushed my teeth) You laughed and Called in late for work While I made instant coffee (we hugged good-bye) Today we had tea together And in front of everyone You winked (don’t we look different with our clothes on?) —marie me call Page 24 Murphy Square Show less
Hot August Afternoon 0n the hottest and driest afternoon of the summer a farmer who had been clearing rocks from his land took a break and walked up to the dusty road where a young man was sitting in an orange pickup truck, drinking coffee. “Damn road department,” the farmer said. taking off his... Show moreHot August Afternoon 0n the hottest and driest afternoon of the summer a farmer who had been clearing rocks from his land took a break and walked up to the dusty road where a young man was sitting in an orange pickup truck, drinking coffee. “Damn road department,” the farmer said. taking off his work gloves. “Always having coffee." “Damn farmers." The farmer leaned against the door on the passenger side of the pickup. The window was rolled down. He pulled a dirty handkerchief from a pocket in his overalls and wiped his forehead. “Hell of a day," the farmer said. “Must be a hundred degrees." “Ninety-seven last I heard." The young man reached into his lunch pail. “Got an extra apple here." “Too hot to eat." “Too hot for an old man like you to be out picking rock." The farmer smiled. “And if I was young like you I'd be in an air-conditioned office instead of driving around fixing culverts." The young man in the pickup gazed down the road, watching the heat in the air. He wiped some sweat off of his face. The dirt smeared on his forearm. “I see someone put a trailer down on that forty just south of your place,” he said to the farmer. The farmer nodded. “Someone new?” “Oh yeah. Never seen them before they moved in. It's damn scary, is what it is. This county is changing so fast it’s damn scary." “Young couple?" “In the trailer? No, they're older. Got a son in the service, over in Germany." "The army is a good deal.” “It's a great thing for a kid who wants to get out traveling and get paid for it, too. You ever in the service?” “No, I went to school over at Red Creek.” “What for?" “Welding. I was damn good at it, too." “How come you're out here sweating over culverts then?" “Hell, Icould be making more money than you’ve ever seen. I got nine bucks an hour welding in the Cities. But I couldn’t take it. Nothing but people and noise.” “It’s no place to live. I’d never live there. IfI was younger I'd move out of here. even." The farmer spit down on the dusty road. “Too many people coming in. I‘d go north.” “I'd go too if I could afford it. I'd get out of this rock pile. But I don’t make peanuts working for the road department." “Too late for me.” the farmer said, locking down the road. “I just do what has to be done around the farm. I'm too old to try to get ahead. No sense in it." “Get ahead! Hell, I'm just trying to stay even." The farmer stood up straight. took his hat off, and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “Have to get the rocks out of there. " he said, looking at the field. “Take it easy." the young man told him. “It's too damn hot to work that hard.” “I just do what has to be done." The farmer started back to the field. “You old fool," the young man called without anger. "It's too damn hot to do any work.” “Yeah, it's too damn hot to work," the farmer agreed, and pulled his work gloves back on. —paul kilgore Murphy Sq uare Page 23 Show less
Thirty five. Shadows of apathy. The Children of War wallow, Drowning in Academe’s Wine-dark sea. (Understanding is a well-spring of life to him who has it; But the correction of fools is folly) “So what?” “Who cares? ” Not why. Forty. The seducer’s Canal went dry. (by doubt we come to inquiry,... Show moreThirty five. Shadows of apathy. The Children of War wallow, Drowning in Academe’s Wine-dark sea. (Understanding is a well-spring of life to him who has it; But the correction of fools is folly) “So what?” “Who cares? ” Not why. Forty. The seducer’s Canal went dry. (by doubt we come to inquiry, and in inquiry we discover truth) No K—Y here, magister magnus. Whatever became of Heloise And Astrolabius, passion’s son? At forty five he'll wonder why He even worried about it. Si credis Tuus clunis Herbam sit —richard c. nelson Murphy Square Page 21 Show less
On Turning Forty At twenty he awoke. Dress Blues and California Reduced to Caricature. (The Marine Corps Builds Men) Adolescent trials purged. Burned away in a super nova Dawn of consciousness (cogito ergo sum) Twenty five. First spurts Of rapid growth tempered With tolerable maturity. (no pain,... Show moreOn Turning Forty At twenty he awoke. Dress Blues and California Reduced to Caricature. (The Marine Corps Builds Men) Adolescent trials purged. Burned away in a super nova Dawn of consciousness (cogito ergo sum) Twenty five. First spurts Of rapid growth tempered With tolerable maturity. (no pain, no strain) Man IS the only Introspective animal. (Truism: the unexamined life is not worth living) He flat-out loved it. Thirty. No crisis. (when the going gets tough. the tough get going) Learning Teaching Pointing to the East, Bubbling babbling proclaiming The enlightened sky. (It is a poor student who does not surpass his master) Page 20 Murphy Square Show less
Monster The crayoned monster escaped from a little boy’s mind to a sheet of paper where it ate a house, four trees, and a gas station. It entered into the real world accidentally when it slipped off the paper while trying to get to the back side. The monster was dazed, and for a while just lay on... Show moreMonster The crayoned monster escaped from a little boy’s mind to a sheet of paper where it ate a house, four trees, and a gas station. It entered into the real world accidentally when it slipped off the paper while trying to get to the back side. The monster was dazed, and for a while just lay on the table. After it recovered, it jumped off the table and began to rush around the room. It gnawed on the bed and made a mess on the floor. The boy opened the door to see what all the commotion was about. When he saw it was a monster, he went to the kitchen and returned with two lengths of waxed paper and a graham cracker. Coaxing the monster. he caught it between the papers and brought it to his mother. She ironed it into a smashed colored design. The little boy sent the monster to his grandma. She hung it on the wall and said it was pretty. —val lebus Dress Up Days When I was in the third grade the boys in my class were a bunch of idiotic pests and one of their favorite pranks that they played on us girls was to call DRESS UP DAYS and pull our uniform skirts high above our waists exposing our you-know-what so they pulled this quite a few times and the fun of it started to wear off and annoy us and we began to plot our revenge so one day all of us girls got together and decided to reverse their prank so we could have all the fun while the silly old boys would suffer the embarrassment and we all ganged up and got most of the boys cornered and with a mighty ONETWOTHREE ZIPPER DOWN DAYS we pulled their flies down and the boys just shrieked and called us all sorts of horrible names that offended our tender ears but they ran off and one of these punk yellow-bellied sap suckers went to the principal and squealed on us and then the mean old principal called us into her office and she pulled our uniform skirts high above our waists and yelled DRESS UP DAY and gave us a good swift slap on our rears and WE were the ones who got embarrassed and those yellow-bellied sap suckers went scot free. *paula Shelley Murphy Square Page 19 av Show less
“Spain will conquer,” I proclaimed, my voice growing louder. “The cliffs of Norway will be no more and fools like you will rot in their crevices." My face burned and I slammed my fist hard on the podium, screaming, “Martin Luther will be the first to die! " Then I turned around facing Dean Carlson... Show more“Spain will conquer,” I proclaimed, my voice growing louder. “The cliffs of Norway will be no more and fools like you will rot in their crevices." My face burned and I slammed my fist hard on the podium, screaming, “Martin Luther will be the first to die! " Then I turned around facing Dean Carlson and pointed my damning finger at him, “You will be the second." I sat down and waited for the verdict. The alumni began to clap. They stood up and cheered. They shook my hand. They invited me to speak at their church dedications and Sunday school classes. I felt confused. Hadn't they heard what I said? Didn't they see that ugly purple mark growing on my face? I was polite. I smiled a lot, and then excused myself as soon as possible. I ran home to my dorm as if I were being chased. My roommate wasn't home yet so I slept in her bed. I don't know why. Ijust did it. My head started hurting again. I saw white tiles on the ceiling. Someone was writing on them. something ugly. I saw my name. I closed my eyes and the bed swayed as if I were drunk. Knocking woke me up and I heard Jeff’s voice. . “Diane, hurry up. We'll be late." He was standing outside my door wearing the baby blue, three piece suit his mother had bought him. What was he doing here? I said something I had never said before. “Go to hell." “What?” He hadn't been listening. He never listens. "GO TO HELL," I repeated, louder. I was starting to like the sound of the word. Hell. Hell. HELL. “I'm sorry, Diane. I didn't hear you." He was tying his shoe. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes." I smiled. Murphy Square The church was only a block from my dorm. We got there just as the organ starting playing the first hymn. I tried to sing. Gross words kept coming out of my mouth. words that belonged on bathroom walls. I started to cry. Jeff squeezed my hand and smiled. I hated him. We walked to the front of the church for communion. He was right. I was a hypocrite. The wafer tasted dirty. I started to feel sick to my stomach. Martin Luther stood before me, holding a cup of wine. He looked at me, shook his head and starting walking past me. “Wait,” Iscreamed. “you have to give me that." He ignored me, so I grabbed his robe and pulled it tight around his neck. taking the cup from his hands and pouring the wine down my throat, hoping it would make me well again. Jeff stared at me. The others waiting for their wine started to whisper. I shouted, “Spain will conquer," and threw the empty cup at Martin Luther. I ran down the aisle feeling a terrible sense of freedom. God is dead. God is dead, I thought. I ran through the snow feeling warm from the wine and full of energy. —kim morken Page 1 7 Show less
The Goddess I smiled at the president of the alumni association and told a Norwegian joke. I smiled at the dean of the college and thanked him for this honor. I smiled at the alumnus who had come the farthest distance and told him I had cousins in Pigscomer, Maine. They loved me of course.... Show moreThe Goddess I smiled at the president of the alumni association and told a Norwegian joke. I smiled at the dean of the college and thanked him for this honor. I smiled at the alumnus who had come the farthest distance and told him I had cousins in Pigscomer, Maine. They loved me of course. Everybody did, because I smiled a lot and said the right things and wore sensible grey plaid suits and tiny cross earrings. Nothing too gaudy for me (I was one of those girls who wore cross earrings every day of the week, a different color for each day, white for Sunday, black for funerals). They loved me because I campaigned for mandatory chapel and didn't drink. I was the kind of girl they prayed their daughters would be. My roommate hated me. I didn't care. Who was going to graduate magna cum laude? Who was engaged to a second year seminary student? Who had been invited to speak at the Luther College Alumni Banquet? Me me me. My roommate would probably end up on Hennepin Avenue, flirting with drunk, greasy haired men from the suburbs. I didn’t care. I sat at the head table thanking God for making me Diane Rasmussen. while two hundred alumni thanked him for their meatballs and mashed potatoes. Maybe I ate too fast or maybe one of the cooks had dirty hands, because halfway through Dean Carlson's welcome speech I suddenly felt like vomiting. I quietly walked out a side door. then ran down the hall, looking for a bathroom. I opened my eyes and saw nothing. My fingers felt cold wet tile beneath them. My head felt fuzzy. There were people here with me. I could hear breathing and some sort of scratching sound. “She thinks she's God,” a voice snarled. “She is,” replied another sarcastically. It was a woman’s voice. “Kick her,” commanded the first voice. Page 16 I knew someone was kicking me, but I didn't feel anything. It was like in dreams you have when the bullet goes through your heart and you know you are supposed to be dead. so you lie down on the ground and close your eyes even though you feel normal. A door slammed and a light went on. I had been lying on the floor of the men’s bathroom. Iwas alone. The pain became real as I tried to stand up. I looked in the mirror and saw a purple bruise starting to grow around my left eye. Part of me wanted to lie back down on that cold floor and wait for the owners of those voices I had heard to return and let them beat me blind. But I knew there was somewhere I was supposed to be. Martin Luther! My speech. I remembered. straightened my suit, and ran down the hall to the banquet room. Think about this later, I told myself. Martin Luther was the founder . . . I rehearsed my beginning as I ran. As I sat down. the Dean whispered. “Just in time. Diane. you're next. Good luck." The well-fed faces of the alumni smiled as I walked over to the podium and picked up a microphone. I was their all-American girl, their Virgin Mary, their angel of mercy. I had a curious feeling of absolute power as I stood before them. preparing to fill them with truth and knowledge. Truth? I never told the truth. I looked at the faces and each was a square of cold white tile staring at me, hating me. I began. Or rather, Itried to begin, but Martin Luther was crawling like an angry worm into a dark cave in my mind. I begged him to come out but he refused. “You’re not God," he spat at me. “I-‘ool. Hypocrite." I was so confused that I started to speak. saying whatever came to mind. I spoke in Spanish. “Buenas noches. senores y mujeres. Bienvenido a] Colegio de Luther. Este noches, quiero hablar de algo mas importante . . . ."I saw the Norwegian flags at the side of the stage and became inspired. My voice denounced Norway. Murphy Square Show less
Murphy Square Carpentry I used to bang through life cutting things apart pounding them together Living life inch by inch there wasn't one day I didn't measure something Ffitfifiififvzfififfififlfi I $9552?" I was building myself hell. 63235592W93‘4 f." :r. 4 -. . —m. h. mourning Page 15
